Some kind of Wonderful
by Fitcherella
Summary: AU. After a harsh break-up Naomi decides to go on a violent dating-streak that lands her in the most confusing time of her life...and maybe the most wonderful.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi everyone. I didn't wanna post this until after I finished Wonderwall but I am having major block with that story and I can't help it...this is a new story and so far I am just starting to develop it but it came to me while I was reading No Strings Attached so I am thinking this one will be more _SpanishLily_ than _Fitcherella_...low on the angst and just pure fun and fluff. So far I've got chapter 1 and I'll continue as fast as I can...trying to flex the writing muscle to get back to my others. I appreciate your feedback on this one...here it is. **

**Disclaimer: All characters in this fic belong to Skins, story is inspired on an article I read but the plot is all mine...so enjoy, review and let me know what you think! No beta-reader and I am not British so excuse the errors. Here we are...**

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><p><strong>Some Kind of Wonderful<strong>

**Chapter 1**

**Naomi**

My house isn't big enough and I know this because I had just spent my entire weekend rummaging through every single nook and cranny in my house trying to make some sort of cleansing to all that was and had been burdening me for the past few months.

And now it was only Sunday afternoon and I had started cleaning Friday night right after I got out of work (and had only stopped to sleep for about three hours (I am not a big fan of sleeping these days) and now I know that my house isn't big enough to serve as a distraction for these thoughts that keep on ruminating in my mind back and forth, round and round like that old train set my granddad used to install around the Christmas tree during the holidays.

My ex, dumped me…or rather…I dumped her a few months ago when I found her having her way with one of her school mates in our bed and from then on I immediately left the place that we had decided to call 'our own' for the past 2 years and found myself this little piece of shit flat nearby where my best mate Effy lives…my best friend who has the annoying habit of insisting I got out and get smashed with her every weekend while we are on our way to and from work (we work together) on the train in front of everyone and anyone who is listening.

"You should really stop twatting about and just decide to get out there, Naomi…it's been at least 5 months...your fanny must be suicidal right about now…I know mine would be…"

"That's only because your fanny belongs to a dirty slag and mine belongs to a nice wondefully geeky girl who apparently is daft enough not to notice her girlfriend was fucking her best mate behind her back ON their own bed."

"Well who told you to be that clueless, Naoms? Even I had my doubts about Sophia and that Mandin bird…"

"Mandy…her name was Mandy, like M-a-n-d-y….what kind of a name is Mandin?"

"I dunno, a name's a name…what kind of a name is Arsia?"

"Who is Arsia?"

"Apparently my doppleganger…some girl Cook and Freds are now battling over…"

"So they are off the Effy train then? Who said?"

"Katie told me…she was having some of a tittie-attack about Freds being distant with her…come to find out he's been flirting with that girl Cook has been dating. These two are never gonna change, are they?"

"Well at least they're off of your case, that's the bright side…innit?"

"Yea…I 'spouse"

Effy stood up as we both listened up for the name our stop and existed out rapidly behind the rest of the public into the street.

"You don't sound too happy that those two aren't running granny-races to win your love anymore…"

Effy smiled as remembered the way Cook and Freddie had been during our college years together and then remained walking right next to me as we approach our office building.

"I get it though" I said looking at her smug face.

"Get what?" she said as she opened the door to our office and started walking through the hallway that lead to our workspace.

"I suppose now that I am single again, I do miss having someone fancy me..."

"How could you even go so long without not dating someone" Effy said with a bored face. "I don't think I've never NOT had a boyfriend since I was like…9"

"Jesus, you just sounded so much like Katie Fitch it's almost scary…That is totally something she'd say…you need to stop petting the animals, Eff... because they bite…especially the snakes" I said as we approached our desks to start to work that lovely morning.

"I _heard _that Campbell…if anyone in this office is a sneaky little critter is you…how dare you try to steal MY budget for the Orion campaign, do you know how long it had taken me to convince Tony to allow me to do this for him to tell me now that we must cut some of the budget because YOUR NEW client is taking precedent."

"Not my fault my clients are better than yours, Katiekins"

I knew she hated when I called her that, but the truth was that it didn't matter to me how Katie Fitch acted or what she felt as ever since we had met each other back in school. For some reason Katie and I had never gotten on, I think mostly because we are so alike but also because she's a heartless cow...and I hated her, I truly did...even more now that since she'd decided to come work with the firm. I don't know how she did it, but I reckon it involved a pant-less Tony Stonem...but somehow after a few years of not knowing anything about Katie, I suddendly found myself having to deal with her shit again. Somehow she had managed to become the queen bee again and got herself promoted into an account manager after she had only started as the receptionist a few months prior. And no matter how much I complained, her new reign was so powerful that all of a sudden she started to meddle in all of our business and finally got Tony to '_fairly_' re-distribute our clientele so that '_everyone had a fair chance'_ with clients.

That was such a load of bullshit...but I couldn't complain. Truth was that working for Tony Stonem was a breeze...being the co-owners best mate has it's perks and I was doing rather well...despite all that injustice that was going on with Katie. Ever since Anthea had left this company to Tony and Effy and I had joined them we had done nothing but work our arses off to build the clientele and make a name for our company.

Of course, I do have to admit that I am not part owner of this company but I did help built it from the ground up and seeing Tony just allow Katie to do whatever she wanted with it really pissed me off.

"This isn't fair, I am talking to Tony…this is the last straw. It's either you or me Campbell."

"Do whatever you want Katie…I am not in the mood to take your shit"

I sat down at my desk and turned on my computer, ignoring the blaring cries for attention that Katie was exuding about in front of the rest of our co-workers; landing her a roll of their eyes and annoyed faces for a few minutes until Tony Stonem himself, fresh out of a very important business phone call (most of them were, or at least it's what it always seemed from over at my desk) walked out and tried calming her down and took her back into his office and closed the shades. Probably to shag her brains out, but one can only assume.

But the truth was that I wasn't much in the mood for assuming or trying to spy on what went on with Katie and Tony, and instead I decided to ignore Effy's mischievious looks (beckoning to come and try spying along with her and our receptionist Pandora) and just sit on my computer and start to write on my daily journal…something I did as a writing exercise to warm up every single morning before the start of work.

_5 November_

_Today as every other single day after all that happened with Sophia I am feeling just as shit and without much stamina to do much more than lounge around the house and smoke spliff and get fat on takeaway pizza and Chinese food. It's been five months, today to be exact when I walked into my flat all innocent and in love with this gigantic fucking bitch who I found laying on my bed…just… Christ, I can't even say it. I am just…I can't even write about this anymore…my fucking fingers feel like they are made out of pure lead and even typing hurts…_

"You know you should stop doing that to yourself" I heard Effy's voice from behind me interrupting my pity-party.

"Doing what?"

"That little journal that you write"

"It's not a journal, it's a blog"

"Blog or journal or whatever it is…it's not doing you any good. And I know that you do have your little followers because I've read it…"

"You've been reading my blog? Wait…how did you even…"

"Your passcode is Sophiathewhore, not very clever, Naoms…nor secure for that matter"

"You've been rummaging through my computer?" I said a bit insulted at the fact that Effy may have read all the crazy things I write both on and off my blog.

"Tony needed a final draft of a document for Ozaka because Michelle Richardson herself was on the phone trying to get an answer she'd been asking of you for almost three weeks."

"Oh"

"Sid got me in and we saved your arse from being fired for not doing your job correctly, Naoms…I know you're my best mate and that Tony will probably think twice before firing you if we lose credentials with Osaka, but you know how he is with that Michelle…you know there's a past there…"

I knew Effy was right and rather than being mad at her about having hacked into my computer I should've been thankful that she actually took the time to save my behind before her brother decided to send me on a permanent vacation.

The truth was that these last few days I hadn't been well and it was showing in all aspects of my life…in my personal hygiene (or at least my fashion sense…I no longer cared what I wore, didn't even care to put on make up and the last time I had a hair cut I was still with Sophia so I mostly wore my hair up in a pony tail or a bun most of the time so as to not bother with it at all.

"_You look like microwaved shit_" was always Katie's greetings in the morning, her lisp that used to annoy the begezzuz out of me doing little to my tired mind full of whys and hows about what had happened with Sophia.

"You really just need to try moving on Naoms…you need to just get out there and meet new people"

"I dunno, Eff…I am not much in the mood…I just wanna finish up here and go home and like…sleep" I said very unenthusiastically.

It was now two days later and I was sitting in my pyjamas in the safety of my flat and she was trying to convince me to go out with her and our mates...once again unsuccesfully.

"Well it's Friday night and I am not gonna just stay home and sleep…we are going out tonight…so when I get there, to your flat you better be ready…"

I wasn't, of course. When Effy got to my flat that night I was in the same pyjama pants I am wearing now laying on my couch flipping through TV channels until I could find the show with which I could kill the least amount of brain cells…if that even existed.

"You're not ready…Naomi!" Was all I heard Effy say after she turned the key to my front door and walked in to my flat half-lit flat by the light on the TV monitor.

"You promised…"

"Not today, Eff… really need more time…maybe next time."

"Nou!" Effy said a bit furious with me as she started to stand up and walk out of my house completely upset about breaking yet another one of my promises.

"Eff, come back…for fuck's sake" I said as I rolled my eyes at just the thought I might actually have to get my arse up off the couch and run after her. Thinking it twice before actually commanding my brain to slowly peel my limbs and the rest of my body off of the couch like a piece of old gum stuck to the wrapper.

"No, Naomi…don't even…I am not gonna hear any more half-arsed excuses as to why you're like this. This isn't you Naoms, you're better than this…you're not this kind of person./."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know you since we were kids, Naomi…you've never allowed anything to get in your way…you were always a fighter and now you're gonna let a stupid fucking piece of rubbish like Sophia Moore destroy all that you are…"

"Effy, I…she was my first…"

"I don't give a fuck if she was your first girlfriend or your first sexual experience of whatever…Naomi there is no excuse for it to be almost six months after the day you break up and you're still in this state…this isn't normal…"

"Actually…" I started to say before she looked at me with a mix of rage and annoyance in her eyes.

"Don't actually-me…don't come at me with your stupid JJ-style factoids to excuse this behavior, because I am not having it…you weren't even together all that long for you to be this hurt over her…AND she was psycho…"

"Effy we were together for four years…"

"Four…no…you knew each other and fought with each other and drove each other mental for four years but in reality you were really together-together for like 7 months, tops…8 if you count that time she was stalking us during our holiday to Goa with your mum.

I rolled my eyes at her and made an annoyed noise but I knew perfectly well that Effy was right about Sophia and what had happened.

Though as I saw it my mind, while sitting in my couch drinking or eating or watching too much TV I saw our time as so ideal, the truth of the matter was that my life with Sophia in it had been nothing but a huge pile of chaos from the beginning.

But of course when you're hurt and you're grieving a break up your brain plays tricks on you and it make you think that you miss them and that they are your true love and then suddenly all you do is read their old emails and see your old pictures together…you only remember the good times because your heart (or rather your brain, which is the actual organ that controls every fibre in your being) hopes and wishes you could go back to those little moments of bliss you shared with them. Because those little moments are the ones that make the entire experience worth living…you forget the horrible times and you only remember the good ones.

I sighed really loudly and then I looked at my best mate who was standing by the door waiting for me to react to her scoulding maranthon.

"No, you're right" I finally said as I saw her approach me and take me in her arms and hug me.

"I know I am…but thanks for finally recognizing, fucking took you long enough you stubborn cow"

We both laughed and took a long breath and looked up around my apartment and saw the state of it and that's when I realized it…my life was in complete shreads.

"What the fuck?" I said as I looked at the state of my home and then felt Effy turn me to one side to show my reflection in a mirror that lay on the of door in my bedroom.

"See why I gotta hack into your fucking computer…I was afraid you were writing your eulogy at some point…even_ I_ felt like fucking killing myself just by looking at you."

"Well that's a refreshing thought…blimey, Katiekins is completely right…I _do_ look like microwaved shit"

Effy couldn't help but laugh at my statement because though she completely agreed with Katie on that she had (up to this point) never been able to be so blunt (or in the case of Katie completely bitchy) about the state that I was actually in.

"I gotta do something about this…I can't let that…that _bitch_ win" I said referring to Sophia, suddenly the thoughts of the things she'd done to me, the way she'd treated me…her stalking, her persistent jealousy fits her manipulations all suddenly rushing back into my brain at warp speed and that's when I finally got that spark…that fire that I was missing to get up and move on from this hole that I was burying myself into.

"Move out of the way, Stonem…" I said as I pushed Effy out of the way of my mirror to open the door to my wardrobe and start looking for something proper to wear.

"What are you doing?" Effy said a bit astounded at my sudden surge energy.

"Getting ready…to go out. Call Cook and Freds and them…if I am getting over this shit, I am doing it all out…"

"Woo" Effy said as she almost leaped up and pulled me into a hug and then started to help me look for the best outfit I could find.

I took the phone from her hand and dialed up my old friend Cook who was estatic to know that his favourite muff-monkey was back and all I could do was smile as I felt a lot better…I felt like a huge weight had lifted off my shoulders and couldn't help but laugh at Cook on the other side of the line yelling out his infamous line..

"Let's get fucking mental"

And Mental we got.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? Should I continue it? Review and let me know...Thanks for reading! :) <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Well this one is a short one but I figure you wouldn't mind a second chapter and since the writing is flowing, here it is...I hope you like it. Thanks for reading. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins and I am not gonna pretend I wouldn't want to...Also, not British and No Beta, but I hope you like it anyway, mistakes and all. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Naomi**

Now it's a whole two weeks after I decided to forget about Sophia and things were actually pretty fucking amazing since all I did was work my arse off all day and party all night with my friends…it felt almost as great as before I had met Sophia, those days when we had all met each other and we spent most of the time trying to find ways of either getting high or getting out and partying the night away. It was just like old times.

But as old times pass and the lack of sleep starts to get to you, that Friday morning I called in sick to work and decided to stay in and lay in my bed and pretty much crashed for about 14 hours until this evening when I woke up…once again alone, still in my mess of a house that I had ignored for the past weeks while I was too busy being senseless.

And it was like looking at myself in that mirror once again. I saw that my life was still a mess no matter how much I tried to drink and smoke and danced it away.

That's why I am here cleaning…that's why I only slept about 2 hours last night as I started to clean out everything from my life that even reminded me of her….and move on. It was time to let her go and let her go for good.

"Fuck it, I am getting rid of you…all of you"

So as I had done for about the millionth time since the entire thing had happened, I sat in front of my computer and finally decided to get rid of all our pictures and delete her off my social media.

And it was weird because for months now I hadn't been able to do that…even though I had actually tried doing it about 13 times already.

But after I had already done it…after our 648 photographs were all in the trash and after I was good and ready to click the block button on my Facebook and remove her from Twitter and my Instagram I found myself chickening out.

The fact was that I was a complete chicken and I fucking knew it…and I just couldn't do it. I couldn't get rid of her.

Sophia and I had been together for so long that it was almost as if she was tattooed in my mind and no matter how much you hate a tattoo you cannot just get rid of it…you can't just wash it off…you can't remove something that is permanent? Or can you?

"Of course you can…you laser it" I announced all to myself…the sound of my voice all high pitched and determined reverbing from the walls of my sorry little flat.

"I am lasering you off my life you stupid bitch" I said to that picture of Sophia on our holiday to Orlando years before. We were together, the two of us…we looked so happy and in love and it all looked so wonderful but the reality was that she had done nothing but complain the entire time we were there, fight about how hot it was and what a stupid idea it was for us to have travelled to a place like Florida in the middle of August…as if she hadn't hadn't been there with me planning that same holiday only a couple of months before.

We'd been fighting, like we always were and it was a rather harsh fight…it almost felt like it was gonna be the end of us and then suddenly she took me in her arms and apologized and told me she didn't wanna lose me.

And I don't know why…I can't tell you why it was that she had this stupid hold on me but when I saw that I had no choice but to forgive her.

I forgave her and we made up and as she usually did, she started to form these crazy ideas in her head about the places she wanted to go and the things she wanted to do to me.

I can't even remember why it was we came up with Orlando…I think maybe there was some sort of advert for it or something on TV...it was something crazy, but back then it seemed like a wonderful idea.

And then she blamed me for it whilst we were there, while it was hot and humid and the food was shit and we were stuck in a queue for a stupid kiddie ride for almost an hour…or maybe more.

This was typical of her…always making it seem like we were so happy when in reality she made my life less than wonderful.

I pressed my lips really hard because I couldn't do it with my eyes and I felt my heart almost hurt as I hit the button to clean up the trashcan on my computer.

And all of a sudden…she was gone.

She was gone and it felt so fucking good…it felt so fucking wonderful that I think I may have just leapt into the air for a tiny bit and did the one-man wave sitting on my desk chair.

"Now off my Twitter, off my Instagram…"

And that's when I saw it…I hadn't seen it because I truly hadn't been on Instagram or on Facebook or any media…the only thing I was even on was my blog and even then all I did was complain about my crap life and read the comments of my few followers giving me encouraging words…it made me feel like some understood, somehow.

But now I was back and I was about to go delete her and then I saw that…I saw those…

They were pics of her…pics of _them_, actually.

"Brilliant…" I said a bit bitterly. "Just fucking brilliant..."

I ran through the pictures one by one almost trying not to stop and look at them too clearly in hopes that it wouldn't hurt as much as I was expecting it to.

"So I am here busting my arse at work…being miserable and you are…where?" I said as I opened my eyes to read the location.

"Malaga…you stupid fucking cunt"

She was in fucking Malaga…and she wasn't alone…she was with that bitch Mandy and it was so ironic that the first picture I saw was of them two together, almost in that same position her and I were in that picture in Orlando and for some reason instead of feeling shit about it…I started to laugh.

"What's so fucking funny?" Effy's voice behind me startled me a bit but then I looked up at the wonderful blue eyes of my best mate and I just kept laughing.

"Okay mental basket…either you tell me what the fuck is so funny or I am taking you to the A & E at the Priory and asking them for a straight jacket…"

"This" I said as I moved my computer to the left so she could see what I was seeing and I just kept laughing away.

"A picture of a snake and a rat…wonderful…why are you even looking at these? Is this you being all creepy and cyberstalking this bitch again…because last time you did this…"

"No bitch…I wasn't cyberstalking, I was blocking and deleting….but then…I found this and I just can't help myself" I still couldn't' stop laughing and it was weird…because it wasn't a maniacal laughter…it wasn't sarcastic or filled with pain…it was a laugh of pure joy. It was the joy of feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

"I don't get it" Effy said as she grabbed my computer and took it from the desk and sat on my bed and started clicking away at the pictures. "I don't see what's so funny"

"They are in Malaga" I said snorting…trying to catch my breath.

"Right…and Malaga is funny because…"

"Because…because they are in fucking Malaga and I am in Bristol in my fucking pyjama pants like a big joke"

"Don't say that…you aren't a joke…plus you've been good…we've been partying, you even almost shagged that Mini girl…"

"Right, almost-shagged…as if…I hardly even spoke with her…I mean, she was great and all but it was just too odd…I just couldn't' do it…she just…wasn't my type…"

"Because she wasn't a snake and you're obviously into snakes…" She said still watching the pictures of my ex and her new beau.

"Oh yea, you know I've got a thing for them…maybe I should date Katiekins"

We both laughed and then I took the computer away from her and pressed block on my account without giving it much thought…I was over it, wasn't I? I was lasering that fucking mistake off my life once and for all.

"Or least you should date someone…anyone…we should go out…"

"Where? We've gone everywhere in this city and in all the clubs in Bristol I still haven't found a single girl I would even want to date…clubbing isn't my thing anymore Eff…"

"Oh you bore…_clubbing isn't my thing_, what are you 87? How do you expect to find anyone sitting here in you pyjamas rummaging online as if you could magically just find someone sitting in your flannel pyjama pants."

"Ozaka" I said as I closed out my browser and saw the last document I was looking at before I went on my snake-lasering frenzy.

"Ozaka?" Effy said a bit confused as to why I had yelled out the name of our most prominent client. "What the fuck does that even mean"

"They got a new site…a new venture they took on…apparently Michelle Richardson is a bit of a romantic…it's a dating site."

"A dating site? Like one of those matching sites? What the…"

"I know, I found it weird too but apparently it's a new concept of some kind in Japan and she called Tony and they had me on conference with them just a couple of hours ago…she wants us to promote it here…she says it's big…"

"Well if she says it's big…I suppose we should believe her, Michelle is always right…"

"Right…well, if she is..if it's true and this site is as wonderful as she paints it then I don't see why I couldn't use it to find dates…"

"What? What are you mental…those sites are bogus, Naoms…"

"Not according to Michelle…and if Michelle says it's right…"

"It's right" we both said at the same time as I rummaged through the files my client had sent me with the link to her new site.

"Okay, I guess there's no harm in trying it out…is the site up for our side or are you gonna be matched with people in Japan?"

"It's up…" I said as I clicked the link and started to add my information to it.

"Wait, are you adding your actual name…you're actually gonna try this?" Effy said a bit astonished at my newfound bout of courage.

"Of course…isn't that what we do with all our clients' products?" I said pointing at the immeasurable amount of stuff spread throughout my little flat that had been given to me as a trial for one of my client's campaign.

"I 'spouse so" Effy said as she pulled me to move closer to her to see what I was writing. "I can't believe you are actually gonna do this, Naoms…you ARE over this bitch…"

"I am…" I said as I smiled at Effy who smiled back at me and then took the computer from me to help me fill out the form. "Isn't that wonderful?"

"It is…" She said with a very excited voice as she pushed me a bit and then started to write once again. "All kinds"

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><p><strong>So it looks like Naomi is over this Sophia...and now she's trying this new site out...what do you think happens next? <strong>

**If your answer is she meets Emily and they talk not knowing they are each other I wanna tell you from this very moment you are absolutely wrong...this isn't a spoof-off You Got Mail...that's another (very wonderful) fic that you should all read...but meanwhile, what do you think about this one? **

**Review and let me know your thoughts...love you guys, gonna go to sleep now but if my eyelids weren't closing on their own I'd be writing more...you know how I am when I am on my writing streaks. **

**Have a nice Wednesday, my peeps. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Oh, you guys are amazing...what great reviews. I think just because I am in such a good mood today I'll say hi to each one of you individually...so let's start...**

**_Marvikins_, my dear you know your advice is gold to me. You're right most of the time so I am guessing I'll take your advice each time. Maybe things will go better for me, then...right? **

**_Guest_, what a shame I can't thank you through PM...I am glad you are keen on my writing and for the welcome back and the well-wishes. I am hoping this will help me clear up spiderwebs that are keeping me from updating my other fics. Thanks! **

**_SexySacer_, the sexiest sacer I've met...you should be nice to bugs you know, all creatures deserve love. I am glad your hibernation is over and that I am going up the list. It think if MY spidey senses are right I might just be the top candidate once you read what's gonna happen...here and in other places. :) **

**_TulipanesNegros_, mi numero 1...dulce tormeto, mi futura...dudo que sepas lo que esta por venir pero bueno...here's to some California Dreamin'.**

**_Hez-xx_, Thanks my darling, I love your stuff too...you know I truly do. And yes...lasering your ex is just...g-r-e-a-t. I think if we all had a ex- like Sophia we'd wanna laser her just as well. **

**_Tiffy_...SpanishLily says hi. :) LOL. I know how much you love both Sophia and 'Mandin' so that's why I sent them on a nice holiday to Malaga where they can't fuck with anyone...or can they? LOL. **

**_OldandGray_...I know, Mini and Naomi is a no-no...I don't know about violence but I just think they just look so similar they could almost be cousins or something. Definately not a match. I am glad you like it...love your reviews as usual. **

**_The rest of you_...thanks for reading, liking, fave-ing (is that a word?) I am glad to see nice numbers this means you like it and I will remain writing it. So far I am writing 'live' so the chapters might be short but I'll try to remain in _SpanishLily_ mode as much as I can and update often. **

**Thank you all...you guys are great. Here we are...Chapter 3. Review and let me know your thoughts! **

**Disclaimer: You know the drill...**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Naomi**

It's just a couple of days after I had the brilliant idea of adding myself to the Ozaka website after my little cleansing frenzy that night and now I am sitting at in front of Tony's desk at work wishing I could hammer-in my own head for being so fucking stupid.

"I am not doing this Tony, I am simply not"

"Yes you are Naomi, you fucking must…this idea is the best idea you've ever had…it's brilliant…even Michelle thinks it's a winner."

"Michelle?"

Holy baby Jesus, what have I gotten myself into? I don't even know where to start…but I guess if we wanna make things clear I could say let's start at the very beginning of this nightmare…let's start that night as I was sitting next to Effy, innocently entering my information into this website when all of a sudden…

_"__You know what would be fucking hilarious?" I said to Effy as I took a last drag of the spliff I had just stolen from her mouth and gave it back to her. _

_"__What?" She said still looking very concentrated on entering my information into the website's database. _

_"__What if this shit actually works? What if I actually find…you know…the one…" _

_Effy looked at me and then rolled her eyes because for many years we'd had that same conversation…that same discussion about whether there is a single person,a single soul that is supposed to just fit tightly with your own soul…if there is a true soulmate that just belongs with you for the rest of eternity and in whatever universe or epoch of time you end up living in. _

_"__Wait, wait...don't roll your eyes at me…I know what you think about this concept but I am being serious…what if Michelle is completely right and this site IS able to find the person?…what if he or she just happens to log-in to this and we happen to meet…"_

_"...__And you don't realize that person is really already in your life disguised as your worse enemy but you fall deeply in-love with each other both on and offline…yea, that's a fucking rom-com from like the 90's and it's called You Got Mail…"_

_Have I told you lot how much I love my BFF Effy…my favorite part is her talent at pure, unadulterated sarcasm…she's like the queen of that. _

_"__Oh fuck off…I don't mean that you stupid bitch…Christ, you're so good at ruining my fun…" _

_She rolled her eyes at me again and remained entering the information, asking me one of the various questions that this site asked in order to match you with your perfect 'one.'_

_"__You know what would be funny if this actually manages to match you with anyone who isn't a serial killer of some kind…look at these questions…I think Chelle has lost her mind…I can't even believe she wants us to promote this thing…this has to be a joke..."_

_"__I can't even believe you still call her Chelle considering she's practically the one that pays our salary…I really hope this thing works, we really need to sell this big…Richardson was so enthusiastic about it you'd think she had been on the website herself and got matched to Cristiano Ronaldo or something…" _

_Effy laughed and remained entering in the last bit of answers to the most bogus questions ever and as I remained smoking away, thinking stupid things in my mind that would later result in the situation I am in right now. _

"No Tony…I said NO…N-O…absolutely NOT…I am not putting my personal life out there like I am some type of a product you're selling…"

"But you _are_ Naomi…you fucking _are_…we all are a product essentially…"

"Here we go" I said as I rolled my eyes because I knew what was coming next…I knew this because I knew him almost as well as I knew his sister and here came the same old Tony Stonem manipulative chatter that for some reason worked on everyone.

This was him, he was just so good at getting everyone to do whatever the fuck he wanted that it was almost an art watching him work his logic to get you to do something you'd never do whilst thinking clearly.

"No...not here we go, listen to me Naoms…it's the truth" He said as he stood up off his chair and walked over to me and looked at me straight in the eyes with his beautiful clear blue eyes that mesmerized even the most potent of souls.

"We are all a product, that's all we really are…am I right?"

"I dunno Tony…are you?"

"I am…I am right….just think about how we must always be selling ourselves, each and every moment…the Tweeting, the Facebooking, the selfies…all we do nowadays…all we _are_ is just a product we must sell to everyone else, you know…that's just how the world works…don't you think?"

"Yea I 'spouse it's true"

"It is true…and this thing…what I am asking you to do is only an extension of that…it's only going a little bit beyond what you already do each and every day as you go on your social media or even that blog you write…"

Yup, of course he knew about the blog. Thank you Elizabeth-motormouth-Stonem.

"Right, but my blog and my social media are just little things about me…stupid day-to-day things that people just relate to and hit a like or a thumbs up or whatever Tony…it's not me exposing my entire emotional being…my entire heart to everyone in the United Kingdom…"

Alright, so by now I reckon you are asking yourselves what I meant by that, and to tell you that, I guess we must go back to that night…in my flat…with Ms. Motormouth…

_"__You know if this actually works for you, Tony is gonna wanna know it…"_

_"__What?...why would I tell Tony about this? I am not telling him I am using the site…knowing him…the way his mind works he might take it the wrong way and then I somehow, unintentionally end up being the poster-child for this nonsense of a site…" I said to Effy as I watched her press send to the last bit of my profile._

_"__Oh, that would be gold" _

_Of course she'd think it's gold and she could laugh about it because she knew I was right about her brother and his crazy mind…Tony is nothing if not the most manipulative person ever to be born and for some reason, in the back of my mind…even at that moment…that prequel to what I was about to say I kind of knew these words were the wrong words. _

_In fact, I almost stopped myself before saying it…I puffed and I snarled at my own crazy Tony-like thoughts and almost bit my tongue but since I was just talking to my best friend…since this wasn't really a work meeting or a brainstorming session…since this was just me and Effy having a spliff and twatting about I thought nothing of it. _

_But since then I learned that no matter how much you befriend a Stonem you also must be careful because Stonems have a twerped mind…and the way they see things can fuck you over in just a single second. _

_"__You know what would be a great idea…I start dating these losers and blogging about it…you know, getting people interested in the type of guys or girls this website can actually match me with."_

_Ding. _

_And there's light in the mind of the Stonem…and when I looked at her, that smirk that was so similar to her brother Tony's I knew I was in deep shit…I knew that I hadn't just told my friend Effy a bogus idea just to be comical and remain just twatting about. I knew from that very moment I was monumentally fucked. _

"You're doing this Naomi…I've already told Chelle about it and she thinks it's brill and she's already agreed to this…"

When I saw what Tony showed me next I almost threw up in my mouth a little…it was a little blue post-it note with a few numbers written on it in Tony's handwriting. And though I asked him about it…I knew what it meant…but I saw it and I couldn't believe it…I had to ask, just in case.

"This is?"

"Your bonus…"

And there it was…that Stonem smirk of victory. Quote the trumpets, the King lives. Long live the King.

"Bonus…you mean?…Fucks sake, Tony this is twice what I've made in the three years I've worked with you…"

"I know" His eyebrows arching up so similar to those of the Grinch that stole Christmas that it was almost comical. "And that is just the start…"

Of course I couldn't say not to that…I mean, would _you_?

"We're calling it…_40 dates in 40 nights_… Michelle came up with the name...isn't she clever? She wants you to be matched up with people from the site and go on dates in various places here in Bristol, which of course will be sponsored by the site, and then blog about it...easy-peasy, innit?"

"That's all I gotta do?"

"That is all" Tony said as she smiled that same smile his sister had on her lips just a few days prior.

"Just date them and blog about it...no commitment? No...funny business..."

"Naoms, have I ever...actually, let me not get myself into trouble. Just trust me when I say this is all you need to do...40 dates, 40 nights and you get this little bit plus that same amount at the end. What do you say?"

"40 dates…40 nights…" I said looking at the amount of the starting bonus still astounded. "I can manage that."

Of course I said yes…you think anyone has ever been able to say no to those Stonem-eyes?

"Great…I'll tell Chelle you are on board then…"

I stood up off the chair with the Post-it note in my hands still staring at it like it was the gift of the Magi and I walked over in a zombie-like state toward my office…still unsure what it was I had gotten myself into.

"I can't believe it…I am gonna fucking do this shit, aren't I?"

"I am guessing you said yes" Effy said wearing a similar smile than was Tony just a few minutes prior.

"I guess I did" I said still holding that infernal piece of electric blue paper in my hand.

I sat down at my desk with my hands on my keyboard still unable to comprehend what just happened. In a matter of a few minutes I had sold my entire life out to the devil for (might a say) a quite hefty paycheck.

"I am a fucking twat."

And that's how this whole fucking thing all started. That's how this nightmare began.

Wonderful. Just fucking Wonderful.

That is how my life always was...All kinds of Wonderful.

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><p><strong>Sorry...still no Emily, I know...I am hoping she'll show up really soon. Any one have Emily's number? I think we should give her a call and ask her where the heck she's at...<strong>

**Thanks for reading...reviews are welcomed. Have a nice Thrusday, peeps. xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks again you guys, for your reviews, views, follows...it's lovely. This new chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be and it's because midway through planning for it I realized I had do some research for the original chapter 4 so this is one is kind of a filler but I think it's actually necessary...so I hope you still like it and I will come back with more really really soon. Let me know your thoughts. **

**Disclaimer: I actually forgot to mention that the concept for this blog isn't original either, I got it from an article I read about a girl who did something exactly like this with the website Tindle. My story, of course is only _based_ on that and as usual it will take a different route than what she intended it to take and you'll see that later. I also want you to know that these characters are owned by Skins but the story is mine, I have no beta (no kidding) and I am not British so my language may be off...but I hope you like it anyway. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Naomi**

"I haven't even started this thing and already this is giving me a migrane"

It hadn't even been two days since I had gotten the offer from Tony and Michelle about doing this stupid blog campaign with Ozaka and already this thing was driving me insane.

And it wasn't even the anticipation of what I had to do. The dating part and even the blogging part was the easiest. Dating 40 people in 40 days was rather daunting and it truthfully sounded exhausting but I think in the end, for the amount Richardson was paying I was able to do that and maybe even go for 50.

But like I mentioned before this thing was already giving me nightmares and it wasn't because of the dating…it was because of the planning.

"Well you don't expect to be getting any dates looking like that, are you Campbell?"

Of course, as you may have suspected that is in fact the annoying lisping voice of a one Ms. Katherine_-the bitch-_Fitch.

"Why is _she_ even here?" I asked a bit furiously while I gave a dirty look to both Effy and Tony who were sitting the conference room going over the details of the Ozaka project.

"She's co-managing this with you" Tony said without even looking at me, he knew perfectly well how much Katie and I hated each other and that I wasn't gonna be fine with having to deal with her for the entire 40-day campaign and he thought of that…

"And of course Effy will be supervising…"

"So we don't kill each other before the end of the week?" I said sarcastically as Tony smirked and nodded well-knowing that I wasn't exaggerating about this fact.

"Look bitch, I know you hate my guts but this Ozaka project is the biggest one we have right now…" Katie said a bit more serious as she walked over to me and grabbed a the ends of my hair and started to inspect my eyebrows as if she was about to perform a facelift on me.

"I am the fashion expert here and I've got the down-low on the best venues in Bristol...you need me."

"That's right" Effy said for the first time agreeing with the Fitch-bitch, both looking at me with committed looks…I guess maybe this was something to take seriously.

"Fine, whatever I'll behave…" I rolled my eyes at the thought of having to take orders or pointers from Katie but I decided this was far too important to take so lightly so I went along with it.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Well for starters we gotta change this imagine…this attempt at looking like the love-child of Madonna and Blondie has to get going…" Katie said, referring to my staple platinum blonde hair that I've worn for most of my life.

"We are going dark brown, maybe some extensions…check out this colour, Eff…I think this will make her eyes really pop"

I bit my lip and looked in the full-body 360 mirror that they had Thomas install in the conference room so that they could examine my image completely like I was in some kind of a makeover-show.

I took a look at the colour Katie was proposing and actually listened to what she was saying about my clothes, my hair, my image and even though at any other time I may have already thrown my customary bit of sarcasm, called her a snake or a cow and stormed out of the conference room all red-in-the-face, this time I actually started to listen to her advice because she was right…I did need to look better if I wanted this thing to work.

After all that was the business we were in…image is god and we needed to do the best possible job for Ozaka and for Michelle, especially if she was investing as much money as I figured she was. I mean…my bonus was insane, I could only imagine howmuch _Stonem Comm_ was actually making off of this.

So this is what we did, the entire day that Monday. We all sat there, not just Katie and Effy and sometimes Tony but also Thomas, and Panda…hell, even Sid came in to give some pointers about my image and what I should do. We were all committed and we were all working as a team.

"You know you outta pick like a different name or something" Sid said looking up from his computer where Tony had mandated he be researching the legal odds and ends of the entire thing.

"A name?" I said a bit confused… "Isn't it _40 dates in 40 night_s?" I asked Tony who was sitting on one of the big sofa's looking over some paperwork.

"No, I mean for you…like a pseudonym…I hardly think Naomi Campbell will be a suitable name for you…"

"Well it's _my_ name, innit?" I said a bit upset at Sid. And It wasn't really his fault, I knew he didn't mean anything by it but by this age I had gotten sorely sick of being picked on about my name and actually kind of hated my mother for being so daft about naming me. I mean seriously, who doesn't know who Naomi Campbell was in the 90s?

Apparently my mum.

But of course, I couldn't really blame my poor hippie mum who hardly knew anything about the world of top modeling and I also couldn't blame Sid for what he was suggesting. His idea actually made a lot of sense.

"You're right, legally this could land us in some kind of trouble…maybe branding issues or I don't know…I'd have to ask legal…Panda please get me JJ on the phone."

While Tony was waiting to talk to our legal department I sat nearby Sid on the conference table and took a piece of fruit off the giant plate of food he had stalled in front of him.

"So what do you suggest, for a name I mean?"

"Dunno, I am crap at picking names…" Sid answered very unenthusiastically...something very usual of him.

"Oh, are we picking names? Can I play?" Panda, our wacky receptionist waddled in after getting Tony on the phone with JJ and chimed in at the right time.

"What are we doing?" Katie asked looking up from where she had been sitting with Effy booking the hairstylers, stores and even tanning salon they were gonna take me to change my image in the next few days.

"We're picking names for Naomi…Come help us out Thommo" She said to Thomas who had been sitting in his computer looking over some colour schemes for the blog.

She took him by the hand and smiled at him and Katie, Effy and I looked at each other knowingly. We all knew Panda had the hots for Thommo for such a long time but for some reason, no matter what she did to try to get his attention sweet old Thommo was always too concentrated on what he had to do…on his job…to notice the bubbly blonde's poor attempts at flirting with him.

We all sat around, and it actually felt great having them all there participating on this little venture. It was the first time we had sat and worked together…all of us. We usually just did our jobs, each in our own office and even though that got the job done it was hardly ever a time in which everyone in the office was involved.

"Alright, hit me…what do you think my name should be?"

"Anna…no Hanna" Panda started to suggest as they all started to chime in with their suggestions.

"I like Ellie…or Alexia…"

"What about Sadie?"

They all went over a list of names they had in their heads of what I might be called if my name wasn't Naomi, but even though we tried…hell, Effy even went as far as going into one of the baby-naming sites and just started guerilla-calling names out until something fit…nothing really did.

"What about Lily?" Sid finally chimed in, sounding as bored as he often looked with his squared glasses and that dilapidated hair underneath a black beanie he never took off.

"Mmm…Lily…Lilith?...no…Lily" Katie said actually smiling back at me, for the first time in her entire life since we had met at the age of 12.

"It fits"

I thought about it for a bit and looked a myself in that mirror and imagined my new hair, my new clothes and my new name and thought…yeah, weirdly that name did fit.

"Lily…alright then…I am Lily…"

"But what about a last name? Will I be Lily Campbell?"

"Loveless" Sid called out again, participating for the second time in what was about to be more than an hour of name deliberation.

"Lily Loveless, Sid…are you kidding…she's not a gonna do porn, you know" Katie had to put in her two-cents and of course her tone it instantly made me mad at her for some reason. I think it was the way she said it…not so much what she said.

"Oh shut up Katie…you always have to end up with your sarcasm and taking shots at me…"

"How am I taking shots are you? I am telling Sid the name is stupid…it's cliché as hell…Loveless, Sid? Why because she's looking for love, because she's alone and pathetic and has to serial-date every chap in Bristol ?"

"Oh so now I am pathetic?" I stood up from where I had been sitting cross-legged next to Pandora and was getting good and ready to pick a fight with Katie.

That was until someone walked it.

"Evening Ladies"

"Chelle" Effy stood up off her chair immediate and took the tall brunette in he arms as if she was hugging her best of mates. I don't even think she'd ever hugged me that way.

"Effy, Kat…" She said looking at Katie who for the first time stayed quiet…I think in her entire life.

"It's Katie, actually" Tony, who was behind Michelle Richardson corrected her and looked at Katie with knowing eyes. Jesus, these two were obvious.

"Right" Michelle said looking Katie up-and-down and then heading over to me and giving me a hug as if we hadn't met but twice in our lives before.

"I am sorry I didn't mention I was coming in for this but Ozaka would like me to try supervising this project as much as possible so I took the red-eye from Tokyo…so tell me what is the development on this? What are we working on right now?"

"We picked a pseudonym for Naoms" Panda interjected, her voice cracking for some reason. Possibly after looking at the way Tony had just eyed her…he was never very keen with her enthusiastic interruptions.

"Did we?" Michelle said as she sat next to where I had taken a seat on one of the big couches and took off her shoes.

Everyone looked at her as she pulled off her jacket and sat crossed-legged like she was just one of us…like she wasn't the one practically sustaining our little company with the income her business brought in.

"What name?" She said taking Panda by the arm and sitting her right next to her.

"Lily…Lily Loveless" I said shyly, still trying to get accustomed to Michelle's presence in our meeting. It was odd because I worked directly with her while she was in Japan and had conference and Skype calls constantly but never had I felt so intimidated. I don't even know why.

"It works" Michelle said looking at Effy and Tony who both smiled at what was happening and each took a chair, leaving Katie standing outside the circle by herself.

"Aren't you gonna join us Katiekins?" I said to Katie as I tapped the right side of the couch where Michelle, Panda and I were sitting down. "Come here"

Katie smiled at me (probably for the second time in he life) and walked over and sat next to me.

From then on this thing actually started to work and we all sat that night and made plans for what we were gonna do. And for some reason, in my sentimental mind as I watched them all work to turn me into this so-called Lily Loveless it actually felt rather wonderful and I felt lucky to be working in this promising project that was bound to change the outcome of my career…and possibly my entire life.

And suddenly my headache was gone.

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><p><strong>So as you can see, still no Emily but we do have some guys from Generation 1 which for me was just as great as Gen 2 and I don't think they get enough exposure in fanfiction. As you can tell I actually really like the character of Michelle, I think she was solid and she deserved someone better than Tony...but anyway, that's my opinion. <strong>

**What about you guys? Who was your favorite Generation 1 character? what about from Gen-3? I wanna try to see if I can include as many Skins characters as possible in this fic so review and let me know who you'd like to see show up...**

**Okay...I am writing way too many author's notes lately...I apoligize for that. I'll let you review and let me know what you think. I love to hear from you. Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Oh my, thanks you guys for such great reviews. I am very happy to see you all are liking this. I am hoping you remain liking it and remain commenting and reviewing it. I am definitely taking into considering the characters you liked from each series so keep 'em coming...**

**So in the prior chapter we saw Michelle and Sid and Thommo and Panda and of course Tony and Katie but I've already gotten two private messages asking where the heck Emily is, and I do have to reiterate that this is a Naomily-centered story so Emily _is_ gonna show up sooner or later but for Naomi we are still on Naomi mode and more characters will show up too.**

**You know, when I said suggest characters I didn't just mean the title ones...I mean every one of them. I think one of the things I loved the most about this series was the characterization. I mean, think about how there are some characters from Skins (like Jenna Fitch, Gina Campbell and even Kieran) who were in the actual series for about two episodes yet they show up in fanfiction almost as if they were title characters, with developed stories and backstories...it's lovely. **

**So this new chapter features a character that was literally in Series 4 for like 30 seconds at most but that I actually really liked...he was funny and I think important to the plot and you'll see who it is now...but go on and tell me about your non-title characters that you might wanna revisit in this fic and I'll try my best to include them. **

**Thanks much for your reviews and sorry about so many notes...I'll try being brief but sometimes I do need your help building the story so your feedback is majorly welcomed. **

**Disclaimer: As ush, characters belong to Skins...story is all mine...no Beta and I am not British so mistakes of language and grammar are all mine as well. Here is a bit of the story...let me know what you think. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Naomi**

After that night that Michelle arrived from Japan, things with the Ozaka project were smoothing sailin', especially between Katie and me which for some reason had made some sort of a silent promise to just work together to make this the best we possibly could.

So the next few days, despite how much I actually hated the process I had spent the most time I'd ever spent with Katie, and also with Effy who had both taken the role of my personal image consultants having me go through an entire make-over process that only be described to be very alike to that scene in _Pretty Woman_ where Julia Roberts goes shopping…you know which I am talking about, right?

I know, I watch to many rom-com movies…Effy has already told me that so you actually don't have to mention it, you just have to sit there and listen to this story and be patient…something I tried to be for the first few days…the first 3 days of my little make-over marathon…but on the fourth day, suddenly my patience started to falter….you wanna know why?

Let's call it, the Fitch-effect.

_"__Holy Christ, I think I am seeing things…is this…fuck me…Naomi?"_

_"__Lily, actually" Katie smiled and pushed me a little as I had spent the entire morning while at the tanning salon taking shots are how this so-called Lily Loveless character might behave now that she (or rather, I) really looked a little bit like a top model. _

_"__Come on, don't be funny…Jamesy, is mum around?"_

Yup, you aren't hearing incorrectly…Katie did in fact say mum which means…if you know me at all and I think you probably do, that we were in fact standing in the very cusp of hell itself, otherwise known as the salon where Jenna Fitch, the mother of all that's wrong with the world was the master stylist.

_"__Katie, my dear" An older, blonde (rather 'happy') fellow came out from behind some curtains and gave Katie to air-kisses on each cheek and then grabbed me by the arms as if I was so sort of rag doll and spun me around for just a second. _

_"__Well, blow me sideways…you must be the infamous Ms. Naomi, so glad to meet you, beautiful…I am Graham…Jenna's assistant"_

_So this was Graham, Jenna's assistant. Did you think I was gonna go have to deal with Jenna? I thought so too and the simple thought of it all actually got me a little nauseated so I was so glad to hear she actually wasn't at the salon that day and that gay-as-a-window Graham was the one that was gonna be doing my hair colour. _

_Thank the heavens. _

_"__Katie rung me up two days prior and we've already discussed what it is we are gonna do to you and let me tell you, when I get done with you…you are definitely not gonna be the same."_

I already wasn't the same, I was actually pretty scared with just the fact that I was going through this entire process of having to change my entire image…having to change all that I was just to fit this thing I had signed up for on a moment's notice, thinking that it was only gonna be just a little blog, some dates and 40 days of having to interact with a few tossers and some twats and have some drinks and a mediocre meal with them…but the reality was that the 40-days hadn't even started and already I was getting lost in the process.

"_What are you gonna do to me?" I said a little scared, looking at myself…looking all tanned (which was weird because even in the summer when I would go on holiday it was very hard for me to tan, unless I actually spend an entire week outside in the sun, almost non-stop I still don't acquire this colour…I mostly start getting pink, and then red and then finally a bit of a tan…but never like this…)_

_"__First and foremost we are gonna get rid of this hideous excuse for a colour-job…whoever did this to your hair must not like you very much, princess."_

Graham, though very vocal and kind of annoying about it was completely right. The person who had done that whack-job to my hair did not like me very much. I took a look at the state my hair was in and I almost cringed at the thought of how badly it had been treated for so many years and as Graham started to work on exterminating the platinum blonde off my hair I started to examine why it was that I had done this to myself for so long.

Yes, as you may have guessed it the person who did that whack-job like Graham called it was me.

The state of my hair, just like the state of my life so far had been product of the years I'd spent having a love-hate relationship with Naomi…I loved to hate her.

And I realized that as I closed my eyes and allowed Graham to work on me….with Katie lisping too many details of her life away to Graham who kept on asking about it and me just sitting there feeling like a broken doll that needed fixing.

I sat there and dwelled on all that was wrong and thought about what had happened to me all those years…the four years with Sophia had been rough, even though I spent most of them away from her.

Effy was right before when she had said we had only really been with each other about 8 months, though really it was closer to a year and a half…because most of the rest of the time Sophia and I had been broken up or fighting.

Even after she'd asked me to move in, I spent some time at our house and then some of the time at Gina's after a huge fight where I threatened to leave her and not talk to her for days. We'd fight and I'd be determined to forget about this bitch and move on so I'd call Effy and the gang and we'd hang out and drink and go mental with Cookie and Freds but then Sophia would come back asking me for forgiveness and doing some sort of a pathetic romantic gesture that would win me back instantly, because I was that pathetic for her.

I actually can't even remember what it was I saw in her…she wasn't even my type, though to tell you the truth when I first met Sophia _nobody_ was really my type.

Let's go back and let tell you, when Effy mentioned that she was my first one she wasn't really referring to my first sexual experience but rather my first gay experience.

Until I met Sophia I hadn't really thought about the possibility of being gay…or at least not consciously. Up to then I had always been straight and constantly discussed that someone I hadn't really thought about for quite a while….but now that I was sitting here listening to Katie blab about her sex life with Graham, all of a sudden I was once again reminded of her presence...almost by chance.

_"__So, tell me Katie my love...did my little Emily finally make it in from New York?" _

Emily.

_"__Wait, is Emily in town?" I asked, finally awaking from my pity-coma and turning around to face Katie so violently that Graham actually got upset and then yelled at me about possibly messing up my colour-job. _

_I turned back around to the stiff position I had been in before and then looked at Katie through the mirror, my eyes so wide that even Katie did not have something to say for a second. But of course, I didn't let her stay quiet…this was Emily, right?"_

_"__Katie?"_

_"__Wut?" _

_"__Your sister is in town? Why haven't I been informed?" I said a bit too upset for what I was asking._

After all it wasn't like Katie and I were best mates or that she was obliged to tell me any details about her life…but for some reason, after all that had happened I felt almost betrayed at knowing that Emily was in Bristol and I had somehow not been informed about it_. _

_"__Yea, she's been here…a bit…"_

_"__What…why…where is she? Is she…"_

_"__She's staying with me for a bit, didn't wanna go back to my parents because you know she doesn't really get on with mum…"_

I actually couldn't believe what I was hearing, that Emily was here…that I could possibly see her again…after all that had happened.

"_But it's only a few days" Katie informed me without actually looking at me in the eyes but rather looking at Graham who for some reason was giving her a surprised look. _

_"__Oh" I said a bit disillusioned at the thought that Emily was in town for a few days and she hadn't even had the decency of contacting me. _

I mean, I knew that I couldn't be too disillusioned...I didn't have the right to be after all that had happened way back before she left but I can't lie and tell you it didn't hurt to know she was back from America for the first time in two years and had purposely asked Katie to keep this secret from me….from all of us.

And I knew she must've done that…she must've asked Katie to stay quiet because Katie wasn't exactly the quiet type and even if I hated it, I often had to find out from Effy or Panda (or even Katie herself, as she ranted on loudly in the conference or lunch room) about her sister and her photography career and how well she was doing in New York and her…girlfriend.

Ever since Katie had somehow managed to shove herself back into our lives there hadn't been a day in which she wasn't singing praises about the great life Emily was having in New York and how well her career was going…how she'd gone big with her photography, how many awards she'd won.

So as you might have guessed it, the particular fact that Katie had managed to keep quiet about Emily being back in Bristol was indicative that Emily herself had had her sister promise to stay quiet to Effy, Panda and I about her return.

I sighed and didn't even answer Katie back anything about my schedule that afternoon, because truthfully I wasn't in the mood to even listen to Katie talk anymore.

Now all of a sudden I was sitting in that chair, with my hair wrapped up, with the horrible smell of the colouring agents making me completely nauseated and sulking about the fact that Emily didn't wanna see me…that Emily was there but she really wasn't.

And suddenly everything hurt inside and though I looked back at myself several times after Graham was done with me…I looked at this new person, with long brown hair and a Hollywood tan and with perfectly manicured hands and feet and perfectly-done eyebrows I felt like complete shite.

I certainly didn't look like myself, and I definitely didn't feel like myself…though as I walked back to my flat after that part of my make-over was all done there was a part of me that really did still feel like me.

It was that part that felt broken inside, though outside I felt brand-new.

So when I got home I didn't even call Effy, which was what I was planning on doing. We had actually kid around about going out one last time as Naomi Campbell before the next day which was the day Tony had set up to be the first date of the 40-days and 40-nights.

I took an almost empty bottle of Vodka that Cook had left in my refrigerator last time he had crashed in my flat and opened it and drank it down like it was a bottle of water.

And that was how I spent that last night as Naomi Campbell, sulking once again like I had done all that time after what had happened with Sophia. And thought this time my house was perfectly clean and I looked so different from the Naomi that had been…it still felt like complete crap.

I sat on my bed and then laid back and turned with the bottle still in my hands and closed my eyes and felt completely exhausted about being Naomi Campbell.

"It's a good thing that from tomorrow on I don't have to be you...at least for a few days" I told Naomi as I looked at her pathetic self (my own reflection), hugging a liquor bottle from the mirror that was on the side of the door of my wardrobe. Then I closed my eyes and thought maybe this whole thing was gonna be rather wonderful.

Having to be someone else, not being me for a while was gonna be ace.

"Tomorrow, I am someone else. Tomorrow I get to be Lily…Goodbye Naomi…so glad I get to stop being you...for a bit."

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><p><strong><em>So I guess now that Naomi is gone and this infamous Lily Loveless might show up, her luck might change...will it be for good? What do you think will happen next? Review and let me know your thoughts...and your pick on which character will show up next...tomorrow the 40 days begin...I hope Naomi could survive them. <em>**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I am laughing right now because only like an hour ago my buddy SexySacer greeted me on Whatsapp with the line..."_I guess SpanishLily is back_" and that gave me an idea. So in my original idea Naomi was just gonna date people as Naomi but now I am keen on this thing about her being this character Lily Loveless and I hope that doesn't mean I am insulting the actual Lily Loveless in anyway since she has to be one of my favorite Skins personalities...I think both her and Naomi are rather lovely and I know you can't really say that about someone you hardly know and we don't actually know her in real life but like Tony says in this fic 'we are all a product' and we all to the public whatever it is we show to them and so far what I've seen from Lily, I've liked. So kudos to her on everything she does and I know she'd never read this but I am sure we all send her good vibes in all her projects and are thankful for bringing us this character that we have grown to love. So this chapter is dedicated to SpanishLily and the real Lily Loveless and this AU Lily Loveless and to every Lily we all know and love. **

**Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, they belong to Skins. I have no beta and I am not British (but if you guys wanna adopt me I wouldn't mind...I kinda hate Texas right now) and here we are...Yes, another chapter...short but sweet. Welcome back SpanishLily. :P**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Lily**

So it's me again…or rather, it's not really me, is it? I got up this morning after having finished up that bottle that Cook left me (I gotta thank my beloved Cookie monster for always being there, even when he's not) and I gotta admit I wasn't much in the mood to take on this whole 40 days thing full on as much as I had been in the past few days.

Granted, I had actually gotten excited about the entire thing…for some reason in the last few days, with Michelle and Tony and everyone just participating in this entire make-over ordeal and with everyone so excited about it all I had gotten excited about becoming Lily.

But now it's the first morning of being Lily and I am not feeling it…I am looking at myself in the mirror, all dressed up like Katie wanted, with the new hair-do and the tan and the make-up (yes, Katie actually sat there and given me tips on how to do my make-up so that I don't look like I belonged in an 80's pop music video, her words…not mine) and I wasn't feeling it.

The truth was that I was me, despite the fact that I didn't much feel like being Naomi…I wasn't really this Lily character they had all sat and planned out for me.

It was all rather ridiculous how we had all sat and planned out this character for me, when the actual idea for this dating frenzy had been for me…Naomi Campbell (Not this Lily Loveless) to get to meet some new people and get over the Sophia thing once and for all.

When I suggested the blog to Effy, when I suggested the serial-dating and all the other stupid ideas that got me into this fiasco I wasn't thinking I was gonna make up some character, some alter ego that I'd use to go on these bogus dates with men who were probably hoping to meet a nice girl or at least someone to hook up with or get to know… or whatever.

Oh yea, I guess you've noticed I said men…let me tell you about that.

So we were all sitting in the conference room and it was pretty late at night and Michelle had ordered Thai food and we were all perked up and brainstorming ideas. It was exhausting, but it was also comforting to see the entire team (except for Panda who had innocently fallen asleep with her head on Effy's lap a couple of hours before) working toward our project.

_"__Right so that's the list of the venues, and Thommo and Katie will get these secured, we wanna make sure we try getting some sponsorships or some sort of arrangement with these places…I am not gonna give away free publicity" _

That was Tony's way…you got nothing for free from Tony Stonem and somehow in the last few hours him and Michelle…or Chelle, as we all started to call her had come up with ideas on how to get most of this entire project sponsored by someone else.

It was funny because Michelle was basically Ozaka herself, she wasn't part of _Stonem Comm_ but by the way she was acting it was almost as if she was working for us and not for them.

It was odd to see her that way after meeting her and knowing her as this great goddess of business whilst she was in Japan. Now she was just Chelle sitting nearby Tony and somehow, for some reason even though he was still the pretentious arsehole he always was…he was also softer near her…he was…different.

_"__OK, so we got that sorted and we go on to our last tick in the list for tonight…Naomi's sexuality."_

"_What?" I said a bit confused, it was almost 2 in the morning already and though this wasn't the first time we had stayed at the office finishing up a project (or a least brainstorming for one) until the late hours this was the first time I felt this exhausted about work. _

_"__You can't be gay" Tony said without looking at me. He looked at the long list we were ticking off since Michelle had arrived as if what he had just said was just part of business and nothing more. _

_"__Tony!" Michelle said a bit upset at what he was saying. _

_"__What? I am not saying she has to STOP being gay altogether…"_

_"__Then what ARE you saying?" Effy chimed in so calm about the entire thing it was almost as if we were only talking about my hair colour and not my sexuality. _

_"__It's just for these 40 days…you're telling me you can't give up fanny for 40 days…for what we are paying you, Naomi?"_

Did you hear that? The sound of the entire room gasping at what Tony had just said.

"_Ouch" Michelle almost couldn't help herself and grabbed Tony by the ear and twisted it so hard it almost hurt all the rest of us. "What the fuck Michelle?" _

It was kind of comical to see them acting that way…my two bosses, the goddess of business Michelle Richardson giving the great Stonem a (very well-deserved) ear twist as if they were two kids in primary school.

_"__How could you say that to her? How could ask her to even do that Anthony Stonem…can you give up fanny for more than 40 seconds for ANY amount of money?"_

She got up from where she was sitting next to my boss and took a chair right next to me and Katie who was watching it all without saying much. (I know…Katie being quiet, maybe we should have Michelle Richardson just move in with us permanently.)

_"__Naomi, don't listen to him…we are not gonna ask that you change the way your are even for a second…you're gay and that's the way we like you, you don't have to force yourself to date men…"_

_"__Well it's not like she hasn't dated men before" Katie finally spoke up, though a lot less Katie-like than usual…we must remember she was speaking to Michelle…seriously, can't she just come live with us? She's like Katie-Kryptonite…it's rather amusing. _

_"__Oh" Michelle said a bit confused, letting go of my hands (she'd taken my hands in hers before when she was trying to comfort me)_

_"__Yea well, it's been a few years but technically…I guess if you do the math I am bisexual…you could say. _

So that's how it happened. Since I was technically bisexual because the only actual girl I had formally dated _was_ Sophia (I had hooked up at times when her and I were on our crazy 'on-and-off' moments, but nothing major) Michelle gave in to what Tony was suggesting about having me date only guys since we didn't wanna go "all out" (no pun intended) with this entire thing.

So I am dating men, all men…or at least Lily Loveless will be and I am not myself because I neither look nor feel anything like Naomi at all and though last night I was so ready and willing to never have to face Naomi Campbell again (giving her up for good is more than just tempting as I still kinda hate her guts for several things she'd done that are just…idiotic) today I have woken up and now I am not mood to be Lily.

But I must be.

"Good morning Ms. Loveless…you decided to be your normal boring self last night and not even call me?"

"Shut up…I am not feeling it today…seriously…don't mess with me Stonem"

"Alright Campbell…no need to bite. I won't bother you about not keeping your word, again, but I do have to inform you that you have a meeting with Mr. Stonem and Ms. Richardson in the conference room in 10 minutes…so you better drink this up" She said handing me a cup of coffee she had already prepared…oh my BFF, so selfless, so thoughtful sometimes. "And get your arse ready…it all begins…welcome to day 1"

"Fucks sake" I said a bit annoyed and rolled my eyes and drank up the coffee offering from Motormouth-Stonem and walked into the conference room and smiled.

"Welcome Ms. Loveless…you ready for tonight?" Tony said with a giant smirk on his face.

Not really…I wasn't born ready and I would never be ready…especially what was about to happen next. But did I have a choice?

"Yes" I lied through my teeth. "I was born ready."

"Wonderful, then…let's begin."

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><p><strong>OK, so I am still researching for Naomi's dates and I do appreciate your feedback about your favorite characters. I am glad I have the time and the inspiration to write this for you guys. Glad to hear from you, thanks for your reviews and your PMs and your views and the rest...see you soon. <strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Ok, so I wasn't gonna write this one until tommorow but then my internet went down for some reason and I was bored out of my mind so I went back in and wrote this entire chapter and then I said...what the heck, these guys deserve another update. So now my internet is up and I am updating even though my eyelids are about to close. **

**So here it is...another character that I really think was hilarious is gonna show up really soon and meanwhile I am still taking your suggestions (and loving them...Emily and Karen, Tiff? But Naomi is the one that's gonna date the crazies) and considering each one of them. But also, this means I gotta rewatch some Skins since I am very well versed in gen 2 (thanks to all the fanfiction, and just watching Naomily over and over) but not as much with the other two gens so I gotta go back and do my research. But I think you're gonna like what will happen next...**

**Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, but the story does. I have no beta (and my eyelids are closing) so please excuse the errors and enjoy...**

**P.S. Yes, Tony Stonem IS a giant prick but then again...is the Pope Catholic?**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Naomi**

Hey, it's me again? Remember me? Not Lily…this is Naomi…I am actually sick of being Lily and it's only really been the tenth day of the 40 day dash through Bristol's dating pool. So far things haven't been so bad.

While it's true, it's really been kind of annoying having to go on an actual date every single night (except Sunday night, apparently Tony Stonem is rather 'religious'…go figure) it really hasn't been all that bad.

Ten dates with ten different men have passed and now we are on day eleven and I was walking into the office, well-rested from a nice full day of bliss (Now Sunday is my favourite day)…thinking this will be yet another Monday…just a regular Monday morning at work, a meeting with Tony and Chelle (though she's in Japan now for a bit, we Skype meet and it's no longer as awkward, we've become kind of friends) and then sometimes with Thomas who helps me edit the drafts for the blog and just look through it to make sure we aren't violating any rules or laws or whatever (and that I am generally nice and we mention some of the sponsors on it) and then off to work with my other clients.

For the first few days the blog took off pretty well, much better than my original blog which only had a few hundred followers…by the third day with the promotion we made most everywhere the followers were in the thousands, and then the 10 thousands and it was rather nice to have my writing out there…even if it was just a blog of my dating life (or well Lily's dating life…remember I am no longer me) and nothing more.

None of it was much of a big deal, nothing much to tell and that is the reason why I won't go into much detail.

But I guess you do wanna know what ...what can I tell you about the dates? They were okay. Effy and I actually had to go back in the site and make a new profile for Lily Loveless since the last one we had entered was for Naomi Campbell and we included some pictures of the new 'me' with a description and questions answered as how this Lily might answer it…and _voila!..._a list of my matches came right up almost instantaneously.

This Lily Loveless was really sought after…and I don't say me because in reality this character wasn't really me…my image, the tan, the hair, the clothes and the make-up was like an avatar…it was like Stonem Comm and Ozaka were just using this image, this piece of flesh for the sole purpose of promoting this site…but in reality it was all a pantomime. It was fake.

And to Naomi, the platinum blonde who cared too much about animal rights and tried to save the world one lentil at a time (like my mum's boyfriend Kieran might say) this entire thing would've been rather nauseating, but that Naomi no longer existed…that Naomi from years before…the one that hated injustice and wanted to save the world wasn't present inside of me anymore…that Naomi had been erased by all that had gone on with Sophia.

I know…I know what you're thinking…why do you keep on blaming this Sophia for all that is wrong with you life? Can't you take responsibility for any of your own actions? Isn't that the adult thing to do?

Yes…it is…

Blaming Sophia for all my troubles was childish and I have to admit it was the easy way (which was for me, until the then the way to go…I was kind of a coward) but it was what happened next…what will happen after date 10, what is gonna happen that Monday morning when I walk into my office thinking it's gonna be just another day…and suddenly, it isn't that changes the course of this story.

So here's what happened...

_"__Naomi!...she's here Tony" Panda yelled out almost in my ear and then practically hopped back down the hallway toward Tony's office to announce my grand entrance and before I could even open my mouth to ask what the hell was up with her I see the lot of them…the entire office get up in a state of commotion to greet me. _

_"__Naomi, thank goodness you've arrived…" _

Tony Stonem actually came over to me and took me by the arm and walked me over to his office as I watched Katie jumping up and down and everyone smiling and cheering somewhat as Tony guided me to a chair in his office and showed me something I wasn't expecting.

_"__I want you to take a look at this…Thommo, show the lady" _

Thomas walked over and went on this computer and clicked into some stuff and then showed me what it was everyone was so excited about.

_"__What is this?" I said as if I didn't really know what it actually was…of course I knew because this was something Thommo showed me almost on a daily basis, sometimes twice or three times daily…it was my numbers. _

_"__Naoms, it is your numbers…" Thomas reiterated with his thick accent. "We have been well above a million only in the past few hours."_

_"__A million?" I said still in shock about what he was saying to me. "A million followers?...that's…"_

_"__Insane…it's crazy,innit?" Sid came over to sit nearby me and clicked over some charts that showed how the followers had grown so fast in just a few days..."_

_"__But how did we…how did we suddenly gain so many followers so fast?"_

_"__It's the power of celebrity" Tony went on to explain, as he took a seat right nearby where I had been sitting as Thomas and Sid showed me more charts and graphs with the flow of my numbers. _

_"__Celebrity?" _

_"__You remember Danny Guillermo?" Katie said very enthusiastically. _

_"__Not…really…who is he?" _

_"__That guy Katie dated during her wannabe WAG-phase our last year at Roundview" Effy said a bit sarcastically, landing a dirty look from Katie who hated to be reminded of what we also called her 'Leopard-print-years' "The Bristol Rovers player."_

_"__You mean the wanker that kept on trying to convince every one of us to have threesome with him and Katie?"_

_"__Yes…that one…well it turns out Katie called him…" Effy went on. "…because he co-owns a club with one of his buddies and it turns she told him about the project with you…"_

_"__So he went on twitter and told everyone he was entering in that site to try to see if he could be matched up with that fine Lily Loveless bird." Katie said…taking over Effy's explanation and then doing an annoyed sound at the end of the sentence pretending to be pissed off at the fact that idiot Danny Guillermo found me (or well, Lily) attractive enough to be mentioned on his Twitter. _

_"__So that was it? Some pathetic lower division football player mentions me on his Twitter and now we've got a million followers? Is that all it really takes anymore?" _

_"__That's just it…he's pathetic, but he's no longer lower division" _

_"__He got drafted by Arsenal" Sid pushed his glasses back up his nose and sniffled a bit and then went back to reading whatever it was he was always reading on his computer. _

_"__Holy shit…right so I guess maybe he is a fucking celebrity…"_

_"__A fucking celebrity that's gonna make us and Ozaka a lot of fucking money…" Tony said with a giant grin on his face. _

For some reason when I saw his eyes, the way he was looking at me…that face that exudes nothing more than evil it reminded me of a giant rat…with his pathetic attempt at a beard of some kind…with those teeth…doesn't he look a little bit like a giant rat at times? A very attractive rat, but a rat nonetheless.

_"__How?" I asked innocently, not thinking much of what Tony was actually about to tell me..._

_"__You're gonna go on a date with him." _

_"__Wait…what? That can't be…isn't my next date with that Rick or Rich...or whatever his name is…the one that's into Heavy Metal…he was gonna take me to that Heavy Metal pub downtown…what's it called?"_

_"__The Crown" Panda said immediately as everyone looked up at her a bit amazed at how enthusiastically she'd said it. _

_"__I've…gone there…you know…sometimes, it's nothing…Mum didn't like it very much, said I looked like I was getting into something satanic so she prohibited me from going there…but you know…it's cool…"_

Panda with her wacky dresses and her bubbly personality hanging out at a Heavy Metal pub…I know, what an image right? I'd actually like to see how that went about.

But anyway, back to the story…

_"__Wait…are you being for real? So instead of Rich I am gonna end up dating this…this idiot Danny Guillermo? How is that even possible, I thought you were picking my dates out of a list of people the website was matching me with…tell me how in the hell it's possible that this website managed to match me up with that tosser?"_

Everyone stayed quiet, I suppose waiting for Tony to respond to that because I am sure none of them…not even Katie had to agree that what we were doing was in any way, shape or form, correct…but for some reason nobody had the courage of telling Tony Stonem that what he had done…the way he had managed to get that one-celled-organism matched up with me was no way of doing things…it was completely unfair but to Tony Stonem all things are fair as long as they end up working out to his benefit.

_"__I dunno Naoms, how do you think we did it?" _

He looked over at Sid who was still concentrated on his computer screen and smiled and then looked back at me who couldn't do anything more than shake my head about what he was implying.

You see, you don't know this but maybe you've already figured that Sid wasn't just another one of my co-workers…he was Tony's right hand man…the guy Tony went to every time he had to by-pass some law or do something that was a bit under the radar.

And also, Sid was a giant in the world of hacking…one of the best actually. How could he not be if he spent the entirety of his life looking at a computer screen more than often than not trying to find ways of getting whatever it was Tony Stonem needed him to get a hold of.

_"__Wait…but that isn't fair…isn't that against all those rules and regulations Michelle made us sign? Isn't that some kind of violation…"_

_"__Violation?"_

_"__Yes, Sid hacking into the Ozaka system and matching me with Danny Guillermo for the purpose of gaining more publicity has to violate at least a few of those regulations we agreed upon…" _

_"__Sid didn't hack into their system" Tony said with a devilish smile. _

_"__Wait, so how did he…"_

_"__There wasn't any hacking done because we knew how meticulous Ozaka is with their site and of course didn't wanna violate any rules…we'd be in huge trouble if we did…" _

_"__I figured" I said still a bit confused. "So I don't get it…"_

_"__What we did violated no rules whatsoever…at least none we have signed upon." Sid explained. _

_"__O-K…" I said with a lump in my throat._

I had to admit when Tony and Sid got this way it always worried me to the max. You can't imagine the amount of times I'd actually argued with Tony about using schemes to get around things with my own clients…I'd never allowed anything like to happen because before I could do that I would rather change the entire publicity scheme rather than get myself in trouble…some of these contracts were very extensive and no matter how much I loved Effy and how hard we had worked for this company to succeed I wasn't willing to go to jail for Stonem Comm.

_"__Oh don't look so worried Naoms…what Sid did violates no rules…helping a friend fill out a matchmaking form online isn't against the rules…" _

_"__A friend?" _

_"__Oh yea, Sid and Danny…they are like this" Tony said, crossing his fingers into an x denoting how close Danny and Sid supposedly were. _

_"__Sid?" I said with great disbelief. "And Danny? They are best mates?"_

_"__He is giving me free entrances to all the games that I want" Sid said as he took a bite off a doughnut from a box he'd been working on for quite a while. Why was that guy already eating?_

_I shook my head in disbelief._

_"__So I helped him out…helped him fill out the form…" _

_"__And how did you even know that his questions were gonna match me with him? I mean, the questionnaire has like over 100 different question you need to answer..." _

_"...__It's not that hard to figure out…the Ozaka site is simpler than you might think. It's just some simple logarithms that you get around easily because really the questions come in sets of seven and then you take each type and you..." _

_"__Wait…just…you know…please don't tell me. I actually don't wanna know in case I am ever questioned about this in a court of law somehow…I rather be in the dark about how you did this." _

_"__Oh please don't be so dramatic…nobody is going to court for this, there's no way to prove anything and what Sid did with Danny isn't illegal…"_

_"__Filling out his questionnaire using mathematics to make sure he gets matched up with me isn't illegal?" _

_"__Helping a friend fill out a matchmaking profile isn't illegal…isn't that what you did with Effy the first night?" _

I hate you Tony Stonem…I hate your stupid logic and that brilliant way you get to manipulate everything and just get away with stuff…how do you even do that?

Of course as you can figure I couldn't argue against that. He was right, technically Effy had helped me fill out the original questionnaire…the one we had made for Naomi Campbell on that first night…in fact she'd typed up some of the answers herself.

But then again she was my best mate and she knew me more than I knew myself so in that scenario there wasn't really much fault…but what Sid did with Danny was different. It wasn't just suggestions…it wasn't just helping a friend out.

But did I have a choice but to go out with this guy who had technically been matched up with me 'legally'? He was in my list of matches and he apparently was a gold mine now that he was gaining fame and this all worked too well for Tony Stonem and Ozaka…and…

_"__Wait, is Michelle on board with this? Does she know?"_

_"__Does she know the site matched you up with Danny? Yes…I've informed her and she thinks it's brilliant…"_

_"__Brilliant? So she didn't question it?"_

_"__Well…she did…at first…but then she went to the site engineers and they took a look at the form and nothing came up abnormal so she regarded it as what it was…a HUGE coincidence."_

Seriously, I hate this guy. Now this is all just a huge coincidence? How lucky for us.

_"__And she's thrilled that the site is working so well and that hopes things advance between you and Danny…" _

_"__Right" I said laughing at the thought that could ever be possible. _

_"__She thinks you could be the next Posh and Becks." Tony said as they all laughed at just the thought...all except Katie who I am guessing was kicking herself for having dumped Danny Guillermo for some compromising pictures of him with some fans on the Bristol Rover's website. _

_"Michelle said that?" I said knowing that if Michelle had approved this, it meant I couldn't go back on this. _

I now had to go on this date and bet you on a few more dates as our rule was that I could date someone more than once as long as there was kind of a spark between us.

Of course there wasn't meant to ever be a spark and if there was, the spark was gonna be between my character and some random guy that the blog readers found interesting enough...it wasn't meant for it to turn into the fiasco this was starting to be.

_"Wonderful, just…Wonderful." I said as I saw Tony nod in answer to my question and I placed my hands on my face and took a long sigh. This stupid thing was gonna be worse than I thought. _

_"I guess I am going on a date with Danny Guillermo, then" _

_I stood up and left without saying much more and nobody really followed me, not even Effy...they all knew this stupid thing had started to get to me and it was only day 10. 30 more days to go and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to survive. _

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><p><strong><em>So...anyone interested in going on a date with the next Posh and Becks? This date should be interesting. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think might happen on this crazy date...<em>**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Love each and every one of you to pieces and I apologize for having spoiled you so much in that past couple of days since now I must tell you I'll be quite busy in the next few so I might not be able to update so often as I have. (Eight chapters in a few days is pretty sweet, right? I take my gifts in cash, chocolate or massages LOL) **

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Skins but the story is mostly mine and I have no beta, so please excuse the errors. Thanks for reading! Review and let me know how you like it all. **

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Naomi

As you may have guessed it, I am not in a very good mood today and I know it isn't your fault, and this is the reason why I've decided to keep on telling you the story of what's happening…of this nightmare that is just about to begin.

So it's the next day, the day after Tony informed me that I was supposed to date that imbecile football player that once dated Katie Fitch while we were all still at Roundview and of course, I as I have mentioned I am in no mood to deal with anyone right now.

In fact, I was in such a bad mood that I may have been just a tiny bit rude to the poor chap that had the bad luck of being my date number 11, that Monday evening.

_"__So your name is?" _

_"__Matty…Matty Levan…"_

_"__Na…ummm…Lily…." _

Yes, I almost slipped, I know…I am trying to stay in character as much as I possibly can but for some reason I am not feeling much like being Lily and so…for the first night in so many nights of this pantomime I am a little bit too 'Naomi.'

"You insulted him Naomi?"

"I didn't insult him…per say…"

"You asked him why he was wearing a trench coat and asked him if maybe he was planning a school massacre or something like…"

"It was joke, okay?" I said to Tony who was now sitting in front of me having our customary meeting about these God-forsaken dates I am now 'legally obliged' (Tony's words that he repeats to me each time I try to even try to mention my idea of quitting this stupid scheme) to attend.

"Not funny"

_"__Tony"_

Pandora's voice through the speakerphone on Tony's desk interrupted the Stonem wrath.

"_Yes, Panda" _ Tony answered with the annoyed tone he always used when talking to poor Pandora. For some reason the poor girl really annoyed the heck out of him and we all knew the only real reason he even allowed her to work with us was because Panda was Effy's oldest friend. I am pretty sure if it wasn't because of Effy, Panda would've lasted half way through the first hour at Stonem Comm before being fired by Tony.

You see, The Fabulous Mr. Stonem was never too keen on people who didn't give into his manipulations and his devilish charm, and Panda, being the way she was had the odd luck of being immune to any of that. (Mostly because she lived in a world that most of us would describe as similar to a set of an old Disney movie) So he'd do what he always do to people who couldn't serve his purposes correctly, he either ignored her or treated her like crap. Since he couldn't ignore poor Panda, guess what he did?

_"__Thommo is on the line, he says he has rung you on your mobile about 20 times already and you don't pick up…" _

_"__Yes, well…I have been ignoring his calls…" He said rolling his eyes and silently mouthing out the word 'obviously' to me. _

_"__So should I patch him through, then?" Panda asked innocently. It was odd that for some reason she wasn't very good at being a receptionist considering she had made top marks in college and had studied in one of the best Universities in the country…she was really rather smart...but somehow also very very daft. _

_Tony sighed with exasperation with Panda's lack of skill at being a receptionist and then picked up the phone and started to talking to Thommo. _

As I usually did, I stood up from in front of him and started walking around his office checking out the paintings on the wall and the stack of books that he had to one side of the office.

I never knew when it was Tony actually had time to read through all those books but it amazed me the fact that the books he was usually on were never the sames ones I'd seen a couple of days prior…no wonder the guy was such a genius (because let's face it, he's a genius…he's evil…I know…but still a genius.)

_"__Naoms?" _

_"__Yup" I said looking up from where I had been eye-ing one of his books. _

_"__We've got a problem…" _

_"__A problem?" I said a bit surprised. "With what?" _

_"__Your date number 12." _

Right, so let me tell you about that…

As you may have guessed it, my date number 12…tonight's date was that infamous date that had me in such a bad mood.

And the reason that it all bothered me so much wasn't just because I had to spend a few hours pretending to be interested in that tosser Danny Guillermo while would most likely spent the entire time staring at my tits and making disgusting suggestions or innuendos that would make me so nauseated I would probably end up not getting much to eat that night.

What really pissed me off, what had me infuriated was the fact that all of them…Tony, Effy, Thommo, Michelle, Sid…and especially Katie were so invested in this stupid idea to use this idiotic footballer to gain even more publicity than we already had.

"_Get me Katie in here, please" Tony said to Panda over the intercom as he stood up and then walked over toward where I was shaking his head in frustration. _

_"__Tell me how it is that we have managed to have so many idiots still occupying this world of ours?"_

_"__Natural selection is a fail" I said to him as he smirked and then sighed and he was about to start to talk but then get got interrupted. _

_"__Tony…Panda says you wanted to see, Thommo said something happened with Danny?" Katie and her annoying way of not even knocking to come into our meeting interrupting what he was about to tell me. _

_"__What happened is that…he's a complete imbecile."_

Yes, we all know that…don't we? Danny Guillermo wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed and of course he had somehow managed to become really good at kicking a ball around, but otherwise he was completely useless and sometimes even a menace….like he was in this case.

_"__He did what?"_

_"__He published the site of their date on his twitter…and now there are thousands of people in line waiting to get into the place where this tosser and Naomi are gonna have their date…"_

_"__Are you fucking kidding me?" _

_Katie and I, for the first time in our lives said the same thing at the same time…the earth might just implode at the sight of two opposite forces align and it's all thanks to Danny Guillermo's stupidity. _

So now we had kind of an issue.

You see, ever since our meeting with Michelle that night a couple of weeks ago Katie and Thomas had managed to schedule and set up everything for my date in various venues around Bristol and so far everything had worked pretty well.

They had picked restaurants, pubs and clubs that could work well for a date and the personality of the guy I was dating…it was all supposed to fit very well because it was all being monitored and controlled by Tony who wanted this blog to be as perfect as a wedding night in Paris.

And so far it had all worked just great, but of course now they'd decide to include into our equation this idiot they wanted to ship me with…this tosser who Michelle (and everyone else) was so excited about…she'd spent an hour telling me her hopes for what could happen between me and Danny and how (if things worked out) we could even become one of those celebrity couples that were plastered all over every magazine for doing absolutely nothing.

_"__So what do we do now? Do we cancel the date?" I asked, actually hoping maybe this was some kind of a heavenly get-out-of-jail-free card for me. I really needed a break from all this nonsense and I would convert to any religion if somehow this mistake could get me a night in with some wine and a good book. _

_"__Of course not, what are you insane?…we just change the venue….there's gotta be a place in this city that we could get them into without being discovered by the public…"_

_"__Tony, it's not as easy as you think…the date is in like 3 hours, do you know how long it took Thommo and I to get everything secured for the place they were gonna go visit now? Katie said a bit frustrated at what Tony was asking. "I say maybe we just cancel…"_

_"__No…we can't…we can't cancel…you get me a place Katie Fitch…didn't you promise you'd always have contacts everywhere in Bristol? Wasn't that what you said was your best trait when I hired you for this position?"_

_By now Tony was red in the face and Katie looked like she wanted to maybe punch him out for reminding her that she wasn't really well fit for being an account manager since she really had no prior experience or schooling in this field, whatsoever. _

_Katie rolled her eyes and said fine to Tony and then stepped off to her office (I assume) to take care of business while Tony kicked the poor innocent metallic garbage bin that lay right next to his large sleek desk almost to the other side of his office. Maybe HE should play for Arsenal. _

So now it is about three hours later and as you may have guessed it, Katie Fitch did prove Tony Stonem that she _is, _in fact, fit to be an account manager because somehow she magically managed to get us into this place…this very exclusive restaurant with great views of the river and the bridge and is in stumbling distance of all the riverside bars…I was very impressed.

"Nice one" was the first thing Danny said to me as he saw me standing there (for way too long) waiting for him to arrive to our infamous (yet more intimate) date.

I tried very hard not to roll my eyes as this creep had the audacity of taking me into his arms and giving me a hug and two kisses as if we had known each other for years…oh wait…we kinda did.

"Katie mentioned she'd gotten you some decent threads and a new look but I never expected you'd look so shaggable, babes…I almost wish we could just go straight back to my place, yea"

I felt the chills run down my back in utter disgust…didn't you? Forget about trying the pea and mint risotto then…I wasn't gonna be able to keep anything down this evening.

I turned around and finally allowed myself to roll my eyes while Danny wasn't looking and followed the nice fellow that welcomed us through one of the back doors (full of security, by the way…how the heck did he get so famous without me knowing about it?) into a very private table with a spectacular view of the river.

I looked around at the perfect view, the perfect table…the most sought after restaurant in Bristol and that beautiful moon and then felt so horrible that I was now obliged to share this very lovely evening with this tosser when a night like this would've been perfect only if I had the correct person nearby me.

"Thank you" I said to Danny as he pulled the chair for me and helped me take a seat…something that impressed me, but only for a tiny second as he sat in his chair and then went on to remain fucking up the great atmosphere up with his idiotic remarks.

"Very nice place, Katie managed to get us, yea?" He said as we watched James, the nice young man who had welcomed us in walk past us into the other side of the restaurant to find our server.

"If only we could get that bloke to leave us alone for more than a minute, I might be able to cup-a-feel…he-he-he-he"

Oh God, I had forgotten about that annoying laugh of his that somehow made all the idiotic things coming out of his mouth sound twice as dirty and disgusting as he actually meant them to be.

"Christ" I said through my teeth and then I bit my lip and tried to take as much oxygen into my brain so that all my neurons fired up correctly and I had the right mind not to punch this twat in the face and walk out on this fiasco of a date.

"Chill out, babes…I am just jokin' 'round, yea" Danny finally said as he tried to grab at my hand that was on top of the table and I pulled it away from him instantly. "You should relax…Katie said you weren't very keen on us two being hooked up…"

"Set up" I corrected him, only because hooked up sounded to me like Danny might be expecting something more from me than I was expect to give him.

"Yea-yea...set up..."

From them on I spent the next few minutes almost in complete silence as Danny went on telling me something about how his mate Pete-o was doing something or other…I can't even tell you what it actually was about because I wasn't really listening though I should've been because I _did_ have to take notes for this blog I was supposed to write the next day.

Fuck, I am gonna have to do research on this tosser all night…aren't I?

The thought of having to spend a least a few more hours listening to this sorry excuse for a human talk about just…I don't even know what it was (I seriously wasn't even listening) and pretend all was well and that I was having a good time seemed almost like an impossible task.

And the worse part, the thing that pissed me off the most was afterward I would most likely have to spend all night looking this idiot up online and trying to come up with some sort of interesting story for this stupid blog…this was definitely gonna be a huge challenge…I'd never written fiction before.

"So that's when I got drafted, yea…and now it's like I can't even walk out my porch for a smoke with some of them…paporetzies…"

"Paparazzis" I finally chimed in.

"Yea-yea…clever and with mint tits…he-he-he…nice one"

Anybody wanna give me a free lobotomy…my brain is aching…

"Too bad you're into fanny, huh, Naoms…or else this evening would be ending a lot better than..."

"Wait, who told you I was into…" I did not let him finish talking.

"Katie, did, of course…"

Of course…Katie did. Who else?

"I tried to talk to her into maybe setting up something up between the three of us…you know…he-he-he-he…"

Seriously…this was getting to be too much.

"I mean, thinking about it, yea…you and Katie in bed with no clothes on and me watching and maybe joining in later…he-he-he-he"

"OK, that's enough…I can't do this…" I said, as I stood up and the cloth napkin I had been taking abuse to since we had sat down violently on the table.

"Can't do what babes? it's only a joke…he-he-he-he"

I'd had about enough of this idiot and the date technically hadn't even started yet. This was not a good sign.

"A joke? You think you planning out a threesome between Katie Fitch and I is funny…"

"Not funny…smokin' hot" Danny kept on saying. How was he this much of a tosser? "You and Katie, yea…a pair of smoking hot birds with mint tits…"

"Can't you just…STOP talking about Katie and my tits for a second? You gutless mong…"

_"__Good evening…" _

Another voice came from behind me where that nice James voice had left us alone only a couple of minutes before.

_"__Pardon my interruption of this most interesting conversation about your and my sister's tits, but would either one of you fancy anything to drink?" _

Yup…that's right. You've guess it.

It was Emily Fitch.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Mira Tiffy...es Emilioooooo!<em> **

**So, I guess someone found Emily's number. Aren't you glad she's finally here? Review and let me know if you can guess what happens (or what you want to happen) next! Thanks for reading :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey guys, so I some time to write after all...so here's a chapter for tonight...I am glad you are liking it and (yes, you are a spoiled bunch, but it's okay...if I can spoil you, I will.) Thanks for your comments as usual, and a very special thanks to my guest reviewer from Texas (Howdy, neighbor LOL...you should log into an account and PM me, maybe I'll start to like this state more than I do right now)**

**Anyway, this particular chapter I dedicate to my very best forum friend Marvikins (a.k.a. WeareShippers) because she helped me sort through some story stuff and also because she's AMAZING at picking out songs that go well with a chapter. So yes, this chapter has a song (Very SpanishLily of me, I know) and it's called "One and Only" by Adele. Thank you MK, love you to bits!**

**So go on and find the song and hear it...I'll wait...meanwhile,a disclaimer. **

**Disclaimer: All characters belongs to Skins and the song lyrics to Adele, mistakes are mine as I have no beta and I am, unfortunately, not British. Let's get on with it...**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**Naomi**

You all don't know this…because you don't know me well enough yet but if you did, if you knew me like my best mate Effy (for example) you'd know that there are two things that I am monumentally good at…too things that if there were, let's say, some type of an Olympic sport I'd probably have several gold medals for it. These two things are running and hiding.

And when I run...and especially when I hide there's one thing that I do most often…a thing that calms me down and allows me to survive that moment of panic.

I listen to music…

_You've been on my mind_

_I grow fonder every day,_

_Lose myself in time_

_Just thinking of your face_

_God only knows_

_Why it's taken me so long_

_To let my doubts go_

_You're the only one that I want_

I listen to music, most of the time from various playlists I've made…I've got so many different ones, all named after something that happens…about a special moment...a special time...or sometimes not-so-special.

Like when I was feeling down I've got a list dedicated especially to Sophia called _"I love the way you lie_," you know, after the Rihanna and Eminem song…that shit fit perfectly for that moment and all the songs contained in that list were perfectly picked for the exact feelings…

But this time, this instant of my life no longer contained that playlist (thank goodness)…this time I was listening to something a lot different…

Don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before

Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,

You never know if you never try

To forgive your past and simply be mine

Something a lot more wonderful.

__"Shit" I yelled out really loudly startled with having felt someone tap at shoulder and I jumped so high I almost fell on the floor before she was there to catch me. __

_"__Fancy meeting you here" She said after I was able to remove the earbuds out of my ears and composed myself. _

_"I am sorry__…I wasn't expecting…"_

_"__Yeah, I know…I wasn't gonna come here when I saw you running in before… I figured you'd be hiding…"_

As you may have guessed it, the person I had just coincidentally ran into in the loo where I'd been hiding with my earbuds on full blast for quite a few minutes now while I calmed down was none other than Emily Fitch…my ex-best mate.

I had to chuckle because that was exactly what I was doing. How does she do that?

"_You know me so well" I said a bit sarcastically, though in a sense I didn't mean it to sound that way. I meant it more like a compliment. _

_"__Yeah well…I was the person that knew you best…once" _

_"__Right" I said a little awkwardly. It'd been so long since we'd spoken more than two words to each other (except just a few minutes ago when she took Danny's and my order and then took off to the kitchen where she didn't come back until she brought up back our meals)_

_There was a silence between us after that, an awkward silence while I looked into the playlist I had just been listening to and closed up the music app and placed the phone in my purse. _

_I was ready to get out of there because the tension between us was so fucking intense that suddenly my collar felt tight…like too sizes too small or something…it all started to get hot and sweaty…and then…_

_Emily faced the mirror and started to unbutton her uniform shirt. _

_"__W-what do you think you're doing?" I said a bit nervous as she looked at me through the mirror and rose one eyebrow and bit her bottom lip. _

_"__What I came in here for..." _

Did one of you turn up the heat? I am starting to sweat bullets.

_She chuckled and then turned around to face me while she unbuttoned her shirt ever so slowly. Sometimes I think she does this stuff on purpose. _

_"__I got yet another stain on my darn uniform shirt and my boss goes mental when he sees our uniform is dirty."_

_"__Oh" I said still watching her unbutton the last bit of her shirt and take it off as she turned around to face the mirror she started to turn on the water faucet. _

_"__No, wait…hold on…don't do that…that'll only make it worse….give it here." I said immediately, pulling the shirt away from her and taking something out of my bag. _

_"__What's that?" she moved closer to me to see what I was doing. _

_"__It's a laundry pen…I got like thousands free samples when we did a campaign for them a few months ago. Ironic part is…this is the first time I've ever had to use them. I was getting ready to throw them away…"_

_"__Nou, don't do THAT…give them to me, I swear I spill so much stuff on myself since I started to work here, I think my entire next paycheck is gonna go toward uniform fees" _

_"__They charge you for uniforms?" I said a bit upset at thinking about how this so called 5-star restaurant that charged an arm and a leg for portions only an anorexic hummingbird might be content with would make their workers pay for their uniforms. _

_"__They usually don't…I am just…well, you know how I am" _

_"__A bit of a disaster, yea" I said as I moved closer to her and started to dress her back into her uniform shirt. _

_"__It's good thing you're here to save the day...again"_

Those eyes…the way she looked at me just did something to me sometimes. I don't even know what it was really…but I'd known Emsy since we were about 12 years old and ever since the moment we met it was almost as if she'd bewitched me with those deep brown innocent eyes.

Seeing her once again in front of me was such an odd feeling…it was like a bit of a roller-coaster of emotions really because the reality is that I hadn't seen her since that night…since I did one of the stupidest things I'd ever done in my entire life. Something that ended with me being here, at this exact moment…standing in front of the person who had been my best mate since we were children not even able to share small talk with her because I actually did not know what to say.

So I did what I usually do when I don't know what to say. I crack a joke.

_"__Yea, well you know me..." I said sarcastically. "The British Wonderwoman, aren't I?" _

Emily laughed and she stepped away from me and finished buttoning up her own shirt and then tucked it into her trousers and checked that it was all well quaffed in the mirror for quite a bit of time while all I could do was stare back at her.

Until she broke the silence.

_"__Oh yea well I bet you'll look great in your red and electric blue strapless leotard…with those big yellow stars on the bottom" She chuckled a bit and just hearing that made me feel so happy inside. I hadn't heard that husky little laugh of hers in so long…it took me back to better days. _

_So of course, I continued. _

_"__Actually I was thinking more of the leather and chrome piece that Gal Gadot wears in the new movie…with the tall stripper-like boots up to here" I said pointing at my thighs…" _

_"__Oh yea, that's a good one…though truthfully I think she looks more like Xena the warrior princess. Though I think you make a way better Wonderwoman than her, with that dark brown hair and those beautiful blue eyes." She said as she moved toward me and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, caressing the side of my face slightly. _

I took a long breath quite quickly and stepped back from her caress just as little because for some reason at that moment I felt like I could hardly breathe.

Not much of a Wonderwoman.

_"__Though on second thought maybe it's better if I stay away from looking like a stripper of any kind as long as I am still on a date with that tosser they've set me up with. Don't want him getting any odd ideas."_

_"__Oh I could see it now..." She started to laugh so loud, she even snorted just a little. "Nice one. He-he-he-he"_

She imitated him perfectly. So perfectly that I couldn't help but laugh out loud myself and suddenly we were standing there, two years after we hadn't been able to speak a single word to one another laughing our arses off as if no time had passed at all.

As if we were those two girls that did nothing but joke around with each so constantly that even our other mates used to get sick of it and often complain.

For years our relationship had been incredibly close, you know how it is...you meet someone and there's that certain undeniable spark that only grows with the more time you spent with them. And suddenly you go from not knowing them to finishing each other's sentence and laughing maniacally at inside-jokes only you two get. It was like that with Emily.

The truth was that I'd never had this much fun with anyone else…not even with Effy who in the last few years had sort of filled that hole that Emily left when our friendship broke apart.

And I say_ sort of filled_ because the truth was that nobody would ever be able to fill the space Emily had left in my life when she left.

I gotta be truthful...I tried my best to fill it up with so many other things. I started to work twice as hard and went over the top with Sophia, to the point where I ended up asking her to move in with me permanently. (Up to then we weren't that exclusive, we were dating for two years but like Effy mentioned before there was more fighting than dating going on and I hadn't made up my mind as to whether moving in with her was the right thing.)

But it was what had happened with Emily that pushed me into trying to fill my life up with things and keep myself busy so that I could forget that I had suddenly lost a part of me so important that I almost felt wounded.

I don't wanna insult anyone, because I don't think there's a comparison but the lack of Emily was something so grand in my life it almost felt like one of those people who lose a limb but then have that ghost limb feeling…still dreaming and even thinking that limb is still there because in their minds they'd been unable to come to terms with their loss.

That happened after Emily was gone and so I did all that I could to try filling that void that she'd left…but it was obvious now, by all this I was feeling just listening to her laughing and joking about my bogus date with Danny Guillermo what being near Emily made me feel.

It was some sort of wonderful.

_"__I think I'll…mmmm…head back to work. I am pretty sure my manager Mr. Blood would be outside the kitchen with a stop watch counting the minutes it took me to get myself sorted" __She said after quite a bit of laughter between us. _

_When the joking had stopped and we'd both managed to catch our breaths there was that stupid kind of awkward silence that had been there between us before._

_"__Yea…you should get back to work and I should get back to my wonderful date."_

_"__He-he-he-he" She imitated Danny's laugh once again as she unlocked the door and started to walk out into a hallway that lead to the back of the kitchen. _

_"__You do that so well…Effy would be pissing her pants laughing if she'd heard you."_

_She turned around and smiled at me and then got a bit serious . _

_"__How is she? Katie mentions stuff about you guys but…"_

_"__You told her not to talk about us, right? You didn't wanna know about us…"_

_"__Nou…that's not it at all…you know, you lot are my friends and I've really missed you…"_

_"__But not enough to let us know you've been in town…for how long?"_

_"__Six weeks..."_

_"__Six weeks! Emily!" I said so loud that another server that was walking past us looked up and and asked Emily if all was okay. _

_"__Shh…please don't be upset Naoms, I meant to get tell you I was back…I just…"_

_"__Just what?" I said to her actually upset…which was ironic because taking into consideration what had happened she should be the one that should be upset with me but of course I wasn't much for thinking logically when it came to this thing with Emily. _

_"__I didn't wanna…I didn't want you guys to know what happened…to see me like this…"_

_"__See you how?" _

_I wasn't even sure what she was talking about…I didn't see anything wrong with her. Granted she looked different, she no longer wore that staple fiery red hair she'd been wearing since the beginning of college and all heir piercings, I figured it was because of the uniform…because of the place she was working at. _

_"__See me here…back in Bristol, working at a fucking restaurant making so little money I could hardly make rent…I had to stay with Katie because when I got to my parents mum did nothing more than fucking scold me on the choice of career I'd taken on and how much money I'd wasted in New York…and about Sara…"_

Right, I'd forgotten about Sara.

"_My girlfriend Sara" She explained, though of course I knew who Sara was because Katie had taken on the job of selling the girl to us as if she was the 8__th__ wonder of the world, top-quality girl, the best, job, the best flat, the best everything, top-shelf lesbian…the mold from which all other lesbians should be made out of…okay…fine, I'll stop…I could go on for hours. _

_"__Yea, I know…"_

_"__She doesn't like her?"_

_"__She didn't like her…she has nothing to worry about now but for some reason she still doesn't let me live it down, like you can't understand what Sunday dinners are like for me Naoms…"_

_"__Ms. Fitch"_

_A tall, lanky, rather annoying–looking fellow wearing a similar uniform to Emily's approached us tapping his fingers on his watch. _

_"__You promised you'd be back in 5 minutes and it's been 7 and…"_

Brilliant, yet another wanker to deal with for tonight…because being Danny Guillermo's date wasn't enough…What the fuck, karma?

_" __I am sorry, Mr…?" I tried intervening quickly. _

_"__Blood" He answered quickly. "David Blood…I am the staff manager…"_

_"__Mr. Blood this is Ms. Campbell…"_

_"…__Loveless" I corrected Emily and then took Mr. Blood's hand in mine and shook it. "Lily Loveless…Ms Campbell is my assistant…the one that booked the date…"_

_"__Right" Emily said, still looking a bit confused. "Ms…um…Loveless here was just wanting to compliment the chef on the fabulous risotto…She's Mr. Guillermo's date"_

_"__Oh, my…of course…Ms. Loveless…" Blood smiled hypocritically at me and then took my hand in his and kissed it lightly. _

_I am gonna have to soak this hand in chlorine when I get home. _

_"The lovely Ms. Loveless…Mr. Guillermo's date, it's a pleasure meeting you…we are so glad you chose to visit our fine establishment this evening…_

Tony was right, Natural selection has failed the human race.

_"__So…what are we waiting for, Ms. Fitch…please get back to work, I will escort Ms. Loveless to meet Chef Gerard personally."_

_"__Of course" Emily said as she rushed back into the dining area and I followed David Blood out into the kitchen where I was now forced to pay my compliments to the chef about a risotto I hadn't even taken a bite of yet. _

_When I told you I ran out of my seat into hiding, I wasn't kidding. _

_And I don't even know why it was I'd ran so fast out of my seat at that moment…whether it was because I had just ran into my estranged best mate after not seeing her and talking to her for two years or because I was in the middle of the most catastrophic date of my entire life with the biggest wanker I'd ever met._

_For some reason after Emily had interrupted the back-and-forth with Danny Guillermo about his racy comments I suddenly started to fell absolutely nauseated, like I couldn't catch my breath...and suddenly the room was spinning and my mouth was dry and I had no choice but to run away from where I was. _

_Luckily I was a lot more calm now and whatever it was, whatever had caused me to run and hide and feel shit enough to be listening to my special playlist in the loo right before talking to Emily again had passed because now as I walked behind Mr. Blood back to my table and watched Danny Guillermo who was apparently playing a game on his phone while he waited I felt at ease somehow and I looked out at the moon and the perfect evening and smiled…for some reason things were suddenly a little bit better and I knew it was all because of those few minutes I had shared with Emily._

_I don't know what it was about my ex-best-mate always made things just...better. _

_"__Everything alright?" Danny asked as Mr. Blood excused himself and took left us alone and I took a seat. _

_"__Wonderful" I answered back and then took a sip of my wine and smiled at him. "You were telling me about the photo-shoot you're doing with that magazine in two days, yeah?…go on…tell me more…"_

_I don't know know why, I still can't explain it all...but all of a sudden Emily had walked back into my life and from there on things just started to look up. _

_At least for now. _

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><p><strong><em>Right, so Emilio is back in the picture and things are good...or great...it's odd how certain people can manage to cheer you up and light up your life by just talking to you for a few minutes, right? <em>**

**_Naomi's evening looks like it might turn out for the better, at least for now...so what did you think about this piece? Review and let me know what you think might happen next. Don't forget to suggest your characters...we still have quite a bit of dates to go...we are only on date 12. _**

**_P.S. Lily Loveless dressed up as Wonderwoman...can I have that for Christmas? _**


End file.
